Articles by Mari McCarthy on ArticleSnatch.com

Journaling Vision Quest

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 15:07:36 -0500

As the year draws to a close, the days shorten, and the season encourages rest and reflection, we often use this time to make plans for the next year. This may include New Year's Resolutions as well as goals and timelines for accomplishments we hope to achieve. Your journal is an excellent place to plan and dream, as well as to set resolutions and keep track of how well you're adhering to them. Sometimes, however, we hardly know where to begin in this process. If your life is seemingly on hold, waiting for some unknown thing, waiting for something to happen, maybe it's time to launch a personal vision quest. There are many individual reasons for journaling, but they all have a common thread: they help you get to know yourself better. Deep inside you lies your destiny, the root of your unique gifts to the world. Life often and easily distances us from any knowledge of these treasures. Journaling is a key tool for re-locating and re-connecting to the person you naturally are. How is this process accessed through journaling? 1. Your journal is where you can regularly and freely express yourself. **End Summary** Topics: journal writing therapy]]> journaling]]> journaling vision quest]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> By Mari L. McCarthy - The Journaling Therapy Specialist, founder of Journaling for the Health of Itâ¢. Mari offers counseling and encouragement as well as hundreds of prompts through her many online journaling resources as well as private consultations. Please visit http://www.createwritenow.com/. One of Mari's many books is Who Are You? How to Use Journaling Therapy to Know and Grow Your Life, which is available at http://www.createwritenow.com/journal-therapy-store/.

Journaling for Health

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 11:56:15 -0500

Keeping a regular journaling practice can have a huge positive effect on an individual's confidence, self-knowledge, and success in all kinds of endeavors. The power of journaling is not well known, but once you start journal writing you come to know how dramatically it can improve your life. If you want to access inner strengths, or understand relationships, or master challenges, journal writing can be the key. Journaling is where we examine our life with the greatest intimacy. It is your chance to reflect and find resolution. It reconciles the inner and outer aspects of your self. And journaling can also be integral to physical healing. When sick or injured, you will find your most sympathetic and intuitive 'doctor' in the pages of your journal. To the western mind, this statement may seem absurd. How can writing in a notebook drive away my flu or soothe my arthritis or get rid of my sinus condition? We believe in physicians, not woo-woo rituals. This attitude has made zombies of us, dependent on the professional health care givers and completely out of touch with our selves. **End Summary** Topics: journal writing therapy]]> journaling]]> journal for health]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> By Mari L. McCarthy - The Journaling Therapy Specialist, founder of Journaling for the Health of Itâ¢. Mari offers counseling and encouragement to writers through her many online journaling resources as well as private consultations. Please see http://www.createwritenow.com/journaling/ for further information. Look for Mari's ninth ebook publication: Help for the Holidays: Journal Your Way to Ho! Ho! Ho! coming soon.

Getting Outside Yourself in Journaling

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 19:24:27 -0400

Journaling is a practice we can use to get to know ourselves better. For the most part, we thoroughly enjoy the experience, and it leads to greater self-confidence and personal health. There may be times, though, when your journaling seems bogged down in too much You. You realize you're in a rut and you're starting to dislike yourself. This sort of thing happens often in relationships with lovers, family members, and friends. Now and then we need to get away by ourselves, even though we may love these people with all our hearts. It's the same with your journal. You need a way to refresh your outlook, from time to time. Often, the best thing may be to walk away: go see a movie or clean the house. But you can also refresh the process through journaling itself, and by doing so you inject lasting fascination into your practice. • If you're tired of the same old-same old in your journal, become a journalist! Instead of talking about your personal reactions, write about your surroundings: the people, environment, and what's going on. **End Summary** Topics: journal writing therapy]]> journaling]]> journal writing]]> ]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> By Mari L. McCarthy - The Journaling Therapy Specialist, founder of Journaling for the Health of Itâ¢. Mari offers counseling and encouragement to writers through her many online journaling resources as well as private consultations. Please see http://www.createwritenow.com/journaling/ for further information. Mari's latest publication is titled, Get A Job! Journal Your Way to Your Most Rewarding Career. Go to http://www.createwritenow.com/jobs-journaling-ebook/ for details.

Convert Your Inner Critic to Coach with Journal Writing Therapy

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 21:22:34 -0400

We all have Inner Critics. Some of us have several of them. Journal therapy practice helps us to plow through the Critic's debilitating tactics, and transform them into useful coaching. The recipe calls for plenty of pen, paper, and journaling, tunneling through the morass of inner doubt, guilt, and fear until we can begin to see the light of day with greater consistency. The process involves intentional role playing, as you conduct conversations in your journal with your Critic. While picturing the Critic as specifically as you can, write down the dialog that goes on in your head (or your heart). Critic: You are so stupid. You: Yeah. Critic: Why did you do that? You: I dunno. Critic: You'll never get anywhere. You: You're probably right. Recognizing that this confession of total guilt regarding the Critic's accusations is really not accurate, after a few days you move the conversation a bit closer to the truth. Critic: Gawd you are ugly. You: No doubt about it. Critic: Nobody likes you. You: (pause) That's not quite true … My dog loves me. Critic: Big deal. You: Yeah, I think it is. And after a while, your inner dialog can transform fundamentally. **End Summary** Topics: journal writing therapy]]> journaling]]> journal writing]]> journal t]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> By Mari L. McCarthy - The Journaling Therapy Specialist, founder of Journaling for the Health of Itâ¢. Mari offers counseling and encouragement to writers through her many online journaling resources as well as private consultations. Please see http://www.createwritenow.com/journaling/ for further information. Mari's latest publication is titled, Get A Job! Journal Your Way to Your Most Rewarding Career. Go to http://www.createwritenow.com/jobs-journaling-ebook/ for details.

Journaling Alchemy Creates Sub-Surface Transformations

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 13:31:15 -0400

No matter what kind of journal writing you do, there are some levels on which the process works whether or not you intend it. Keeping a journal increases awareness, for instance. By reflecting on your experiences through the practice of journaling, you gain greater understanding, sharper powers of perception. Journal writing can reduce loneliness, as well, by providing the sounding board that the soul craves. And since you come to perceive your truth more closely through journaling, you are able to gain increased confidence to achieve whatever goals you set. Here are ways you can start directly accessing these benefits of journal writing. Awareness Even though adults are generally supposed to be mature and prudent, true maturity and deep wisdom take a whole lifetime to obtain. For that matter, sometimes the process seems to operate in reverse. Often an 18-year old thinks he knows everything, while the 50-year old is increasingly aware of all she does not know. Self-knowledge "�" true, deep, crystal clear knowledge of the self "�" is extremely rare, if it exists at all. The ambition to master knowledge is futile; and even the accumulation of knowledge is vain. **End Summary** Topics: journal writing therapy]]> journaling]]> personal growth]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> By Mari L. McCarthy - The Journaling Therapy Specialist, founder of Journaling for the Health of It"". Mari offers counseling and encouragement to writers through her many online journaling resources as well as private consultations. Please see http://www.createwritenow.com/journaling/ for further information. Mari's latest publication is titled, Get A Job! Journal Your Way to Your Most Rewarding Career. Go to http://www.createwritenow.com/jobs-journaling-ebook/ for details.

Hypergraphia and Writer's Block: Opportunities for Journal Writers

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 13:13:48 -0400

Have you ever wondered why some people seem to write as if powerless to stop themselves, while others struggle slowly and painfully with the process of writing? If writing amounts to an irresistible urge for you, a veritable lust for penning words and stories, you probably enjoy the process. There's no need to worry about your over-the-top desire to write. Even if the words don't always make much sense, you are creating a mountain of raw material that can be refined later. Some people write so much that their journals are actually minute-by-minute descriptions of their lives, sometimes amassing millions of words, tens of thousands of notebooks. Here's an example from Wikipedia: The Reverend Robert Shields maintained a diary chronicling every 5 minutes of his life from 1972 until a stroke disabled him in 1997. The hypergraphic work filled 81 boxes and contained approximately 38 million words. Hypergraphia is the technical term for this kind of writing. It's thought that the condition results from an abnormal interaction between the temporal and frontal lobes of the brain. **End Summary** Topics: hypergraphia]]> writer's block]]> writing therapy]]> journaling]]> journal writing]]> journal therapy]]> personal journaling]]> personal growth]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> By Mari L. McCarthy - The Journaling Therapy Specialist, founder of Journaling for the Health of Itâ¢. Mari offers counseling and encouragement to writers through her many online journaling resources as well as private consultations. Please see http://www.createwritenow.com/journaling/ for further information. Mari's latest publication is titled, Your Money Matters: Use Journal Writing Therapy to Get Financially Fit Now . Go to http://www.createwritenow.com/self-therapy-money-ebook/ for details.

5 Journaling Jumpstarts

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 12:43:09 -0400

When keeping a personal journal, you may notice that the practice involves you in an intimate relationship, one you and your journal are building over time. Like all intimate relationships, there may be highs and lows in the interchanges. There may be times when the journaling flows easily, and other times when the flow seems to just dry up. Have you been journaling for a while and find yourself thirsting for new ideas to write about? Do you sense there's more your soul wants to express, but you're not sure how to dig it up? Here are some powerful ways to awaken buried thoughts and feelings, to find fresh new insights for your journaling joy. 1. Change of scenery If you are a morning person, switch to writing “Night Notes” and see how that data dump before bedtime helps you sleep and dream better. If you’re a night owl, try writing first thing in the morning. Give it at least a week to see how it works for you. 2. Read, read, read Arbitrarily open an old journal, today’s newspaper, or a book that's at hand. Or Google a question and see what the search returns. **End Summary** Topics: writing therapy]]> journaling]]> journal writing]]> journal therapy]]> p]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> By Mari L. McCarthy - The Journaling Therapy Specialist, founder of Journaling for the Health of Itâ¢. She provides well over 100 more journaling tips available at http://www.createwritenow.com/journaling-ideas/. Mari's latest publication is titled, Your Money Matters: Use Journal Writing Therapy to Get Financially Fit Now . See http://www.createwritenow.com/self-therapy-money-ebook/ for details.

Teach Your Inner Critic How to Heal

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 14:06:42 -0400

Everybody has an Inner Critic (or two or three). Your Inner Critic is that shadowy voice of negativity that makes itself known inside every human being. No one is immune. Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional. Have you heard that one? Thinking about the Inner Critic reminds us of the wisdom of that statement. The question is not whether you have an Inner Critic, but whether you know how to manage the monster. We also have a Good (and Wise) Inner Coach that has our best interest at heart. How we respond to our Inner Coach determines how we feel. Do we nurture or ignore it? Next time you are confused or feeling overwhelmed, or needing an answer of any kind, ask in your journal, What Would My Inner Coach Do? And then ask, What Would My Inner Critic Do? Let's be adults here. You can't just decide to turn off your Critic. It's there for a purpose, however vague that purpose may seem to you. Making sweeping statements like "I'm just going to ignore the creep," will get you nowhere. Things are far more complex than that. Creative management is your best bet for the long run. **End Summary** Topics: writing therapy]]> journaling]]> journal writing]]> journal therapy]]> ]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> By Mari L. McCarthy - The Journaling Therapy Specialist, founder of Journaling for the Health of Itâ¢. Please visit Mari's blog at http://www.createwritenow.com/journal-writing-blog/. Her latest publication is titled, Your Money Matters:Use Journal Writing Therapy to Get Financially Fit Now . See http://www.createwritenow.com/self-therapy-money-ebook/ for details.

Get Over Yourself with Journal Writing Therapy

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 20:55:47 -0400

One profoundly useful way to journal is to use the practice to change ourselves. Presumably, most of us like ourselves well enough. Though many people experience true self-loathing at some point in their lives, for the most part we maintain a healthy respect for old Number One. But even though the norm is a fairly comfortable relationship, it's very common for an individual to sense distaste for the way he or she reacts in certain specific circumstances. Perhaps you don't like how you freeze up when talking to your boss, or how you burn with envy when you see a beautiful woman, or how you are terrified of thunderstorms or spiders. In general, you think you're okay, but in this one area you really want to change. Such unwanted reactions are almost always left over from experiences we had in the past. We may have been children when those negative reactions were first created; we may have been adult, forming responses that seemed to protect us at the time but ended up feeling like an inner burden. **End Summary** Topics: writing therapy]]> journaling]]> journal writing]]> journal therapy]]> ]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> By Mari L. McCarthy - The Journaling Therapy Specialist, founder of Journaling for the Health of Itâ¢. Would you like to know more about how to use journaling to become all you can be? Please visit Mari's blog at http://www.createwritenow.com/journal-writing-blog/. She has also recently published two new books: Who Are You? How to Use Journaling Therapy to Know and Grow Your Life; and Dark Chocolate for the Journaler's Soul: 17 Personal Journaling Stories for Healing and Growth. Please visit htt

Journal Writing Your Wrong Ways

Thu, 19 May 2011 15:51:10 -0400

A profoundly helpful application of journal writing is to use it as a tool for reflection on your life experience. Do you remember your childhood? Have you ever made a serious attempt to remember it and work through some of the harmful habits and fears it created in you? Many of us stay so preoccupied with adult challenges that we never do this kind of life-reflection. The problem with avoiding this 'work' is that our childhood experiences can leave us with impressions and phobias that interfere with our current happiness. Since these mental and emotional constructs were created so long ago, we may very well have no awareness of them. That’s why journals were created: to help clear out the clutter we’ve accumulated so we can get into living life as the person that we were born to be. You can use your journal to dig beneath all the clutter and glimpse your natural self, as you were before all the conditioning. When you begin to get a picture of your core self, you can better understand your purposes in life. **End Summary** Topics: Self-growth]]> journaling writing therapy]]> journal writing]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> By Mari L. McCarthy - The Journaling Therapy Specialist, founder of Journaling for the Health of Itâ¢. The journaling prompt cited in this article is one of more than a hundred at http://www.createwritenow.com/journaling-ideas/. Mari's latest publication is titled, Who Are You? How to Use Journaling Therapy to Know and Grow Your Life. See http://www.createwritenow.com/journaling-therapy-ebook/ for details.

A New Perspective for Your Journal

Fri, 06 May 2011 19:38:02 -0400

Do you dislike the preponderance of "I" statements in your journal writing? You know, your tendency to use journaling as a good old reliable data dump: “I hate my life. I can’t stand my bosses, I feel fat and bloated, I, I, I…!" When you journal regularly, now and then you might slip into this kind of relentless focus on yourself. To a certain extent, it's very useful. You need a private getaway and your health definitely benefits from unloading your griefs on a daily basis. But at some point, you may become dissatisfied with this approach. All of a sudden you may take an intense disliking to the first person singular. You want to write from a different perspective, somehow. You want to discover something new. It's not all about you, for Pete's sake. But it is all about you, you know this; who else would it be about? You journal for your own sake, for your own sanity and enjoyment. But to deepen your understanding, sometimes you have to insert some distance. Fortunately, that's not so hard to do. Just start writing in the third person and see how your journal unfolds. **End Summary** Topics: journaling prompts]]> writing prompts]]> writing therapy]]> journalin]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> By Mari L. McCarthy - The Journaling Therapy Specialist, founder of Journaling for the Health of Itâ¢. The journaling prompt cited in this article is one of more than a hundred at http://www.createwritenow.com/journaling-ideas/. Mari's latest publication is titled, Who Are You? How to Use Journaling Therapy to Know and Grow Your Life. See http://www.createwritenow.com/journaling-therapy-ebook/ for details.

Money Worries and Journaling

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 16:54:30 -0400

While many may think of journaling as a harmless, completely reflective process, the truth is that keeping a journal can actually be a revolutionary act. Journal writing helps us reclaim ourselves and use our power to create a better life than we have previously known. Journaling shows us how to be responsible for ourselves and our behavior. Keeping a personal journal helps us change the way we've always lived and begin to create the future we want. The act of writing a journal brings the psyche face to face with itself, where it's not possible to lie or pretend. Through writing down observations and thoughts, we begin to understand the origins of fear and stress. When those origins come to light, the individual gains the ability to creatively grow and change. Take, for instance, a common phobia: fear of not having enough money. So many of us are jobless or otherwise compromised in our capacity to earn a living. The Great Recession started three years ago, but millions are still struggling with the depressed economy. Fears and woes over money are pervasive, and we all know such stress can lead to poor physical health and a host of other issues. **End Summary** Topics: finances]]> money worries]]> writing therapy]]> journaling]]> journal wr]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> By Mari L. McCarthy - The Journaling Therapy Specialist, founder of Journaling for the Health of Itâ¢. Please visit Mari's blog at http://www.createwritenow.com/journal-writing-blog/. Her latest publication is titled, Who Are You? How to Use Journaling Therapy to Know and Grow Your Life. See http://www.createwritenow.com/journaling-therapy-ebook/ for details.

Make a Journaling Vision Collage

Tue, 22 Mar 2011 20:19:05 -0400

How often do you find yourself in need of a motivator? You want to do something, accomplish a goal, embed a new habit, or simply change your life somehow. But actually getting started seems always to be just out of reach. Making a vision collage can serve to light a fire for you, illustrating (illuminating!) the future so that a path towards it becomes far more accessible. And if you add journal writing to the creation of your collage, you can find yourself on the road before you know it. You may even decide to use vision collages regularly within the pages of your journal. Who couldn't profit from the psychic refresher that the activity provides! How do you make a vision collage? 1. Gather old magazines, books, snapshots, newspapers, postcards, calendars, bits of paper and ribbon, anything that can be recycled into a collage. 2. Take a few deep breaths and meditate for a few minutes on the goal or change that concerns you. 3. Using scissors and a glue stick, arrange your clippings and objects in whatever way is pleasing to you on the page of your journal, or other surface. **End Summary** Topics: writing therapy]]> journaling]]> journal writing]]> journal therapy]]> p]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> By Mari L. McCarthy - The Journaling Therapy Specialist, founder of Journaling for the Health of Itâ¢. More journaling ideas and exercises are available at http://www.createwritenow.com/journaling-ideas/. My ebook, 27 Days to Peace and Happiness ( http://www.createwritenow.com/peace-of-mind-and-body---27-days-of-journaling-to-health--happiness/ ), is the ultimate self-help workbook â through journaling. Write On!

Journaling for Self-Discovery: What's Your Wow Moment?

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 16:43:17 -0500

When contemplating your own personality and potentials, it can be helpful to focus on defining moments, or snatches of your experience that you remember as particularly potent, rich, and/or formative. There are certain moments in our lives that have a profound, transformative impact on us: witnessing a spectacular display of nature, meeting a charismatic kindred spirit, experiencing a spiritual or religious awakening, leaping head-first into a wild adventure. These "��wow moments"�� knock the wind out of us, open our eyes to brand new worlds, and change our perspective on life. They don"��t happen every day, but their effects last for years. What are some "wow moments" you have experienced in your lifetime? Write about one of them and relive it as a positive journal therapy activity. 1. Reflect on the most pivotal moments in your life. Which experiences can you truthfully say were life-changing in a positive way? Jot down a short list in your journal if it helps you sort through your thoughts. For example: That trip to the capitol when I was a junior in high school. The first conversation I had with my future husband. Giving birth to my child. **End Summary** Topics: journaling]]> journal writing]]> personal growth]]> self discovery]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> By Mari L. McCarthy - The Journaling Therapy Specialist, founder of Journaling for the Health of It"". More journaling ideas and exercises are available at http://www.createwritenow.com/journaling-ideas/. My new book, 27 Days to Peace and Happiness ( http://www.createwritenow.com/peace-of-mind-and-body---27-days-of-journaling-to-health--happiness/ ), is the ultimate self-help workbook "ï¿½" through journaling. Write On!

Journaling a Letter to Your Former Self

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 13:42:44 -0500

When we look back on the past – whether just yesterday or many years ago, sometimes we think, "I wish I knew then what I know now." To help find peace of mind in the present, try working with that wish in your journaling practice. Go back to that previous time for a dialog with your younger self. Say all the things you wish you had heard at the time. The process is likely to turn up greater understanding than you expected, with insights into your present life as well as healthy perspectives on past events. In your journal, write a letter to your past self, following these steps. 1. Take several minutes to make a mental picture of a time in your past that was stressful. Why was this period so challenging for you and exactly how did you feel? What kind of support would have helped you cope better? Are there mistakes you wish you could go back and redo? Are there decisions you made at the time that you still stand by? 2. Then spend a couple minutes making a mental list of what you have learned since that difficult time. **End Summary** Topics: writing therapy]]> journaling]]> journal writing]]> self discovery]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> By Mari L. McCarthy - Journal / Writing Therapist, founder of Journaling for the Health of Itâ¢. More journaling ideas and exercises are available at http://www.createwritenow.com/journaling-ideas/. Please share discoveries at my blog- http://www.createwritenow.com/journal-writing-blog/. Write On!

Quote, Unquote: Finding Journaling Opportunity in the Words of Others

Mon, 07 Feb 2011 20:20:35 -0500

Journal writing can sometimes seem to corner you. While on most days, your pen scribbles without hesitation, sometimes you can't think of a thing to say. Or sometimes you have the opposite problem: there's so much you want to explore in your writing that you can't decide where to start. In these cases, using someone else's insightful words to encourage your own words to start flowing freely can be helpful. Keep your journal close at hand so that whenever you come across a thought-provoking, humorous, or intriguing quote in your daily life, you can jot it down to use as a prompt later on. On the computer, services like Evernote.com and Dropbox.com are useful tools for making these notes. If you haven't created a quotes collection yet, you can reach for a favorite book and flip through the pages to find a starting point. Write the quote at the top of a new page in your journal, and then continue writing. Consider why the quote is notable to you. Do you agree with its message or sentiment? Does it relate to your own personal philosophy of life? Does it inspire emotions: does it make you happy, wistful, angry? **End Summary** Topics: writing therapy]]> journaling]]> journal writing]]> journal therapy]]> p]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> By Mari L. McCarthy - Journal / Writing Therapist. Journaling is how you can get a life and grow it, nurturing your inner life and supporting your outer achievements as well. Please share discoveries at my blog- http://www.createwritenow.com/journal-writing-blog/. Please download my free ebook, How to Use Your Journal to Cure Writer's Block Now, at http://www.createwritenow.com/download-free-writers-block-tips/. Write On!

Journaling Tricks: 10 Things I Love

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 16:23:53 -0500

Do you sometimes experience one of those terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days like the hero of the Judith Viorst book? The kind of day when it feels impossible to break out of a rotten mood, and everything seems to go wrong? The next time you are feeling out of sorts, take out your journal and write a "10 Things I Love" list. This simple and satisfying personal journaling prompt can be used over and over again to chase away the bad day blues. Here's how. 1. Use a journaling process to pick a "10 Things I Love" category. Ask yourself, in what area of my life am I experiencing tension or heightened interest right now? What am I excited about these days? Where could I use some advice or counseling? Or, as a variation, focus on one of the following categories: Ideas Reputation Memories Places Eating Impulses Entertainment People Words Relationships Work Self-confidence Family Personal goals Interests 2. Ask yourself, what are the "10 Things I Love" about that part of my life? As you write out the list, leave a sizeable space after each list item. 3. **End Summary** Topics: writing therapy]]> journaling]]> journal writing]]> journal therapy]]> p]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> By Mari L. McCarthy - Journal / Writing Therapist. Journaling is the ultimate self-help tool. Please share discoveries at my blog- http://www.createwritenow.com/journal-writing-blog/. More journaling ideas and exercises are available at http://www.createwritenow.com/journaling-ideas/. Write On!

Musical Journal Therapy

Fri, 07 Jan 2011 13:37:38 -0500

Journal writing is like a 6th sense, a value-adding tool for perception that allows us to experience and know ourselves and our surroundings. Journaling is a reaction to what is happening, both inside and out. Depending on where your focus lies, your journal will reflect that. As long as you're focused, you can journal easily and endlessly. But one of the miracles of journaling is that it can also serve us very well when we are not focused. Feeling foggy, confused, not sure what's on your mind? Are you unmotivated, or uninspired? Those moments of vague ennui can be the times when you least feel like journaling, or doing anything else, for that matter. So here's a favorite solution: randomly pick a focus! Your resistance to action comes from a lack of attention. When you zero in on a focal point, it's ironically like opening the floodgates. One of the best places to look for focus is in your music collection. Counter-intuitive though it may be to seek focus in the complexities (and dreaminess!) of music, the medium can be extremely helpful. Here's how. 1. Contrive somehow to pick a song at random. **End Summary** Topics: writing therapy]]> journaling]]> journal therapy]]> song shuffle]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> By Mari L. McCarthy - Journal / Writing Therapist. Journaling is the ultimate self-health tool. Please share discoveries at my blog- http://www.createwritenow.com/journal-writing-blog/. Please download my no-cost ebook on using journaling to cure writer's block, at http://www.createwritenow.com/download-free-writers-block-tips/. Write On!

5 Ways to Make a Fresh Start with Journaling

Thu, 30 Dec 2010 17:12:51 -0500

At the New Year, everyone makes resolutions, savoring the opportunity to align with new goals, to throw out the old and seriously get started on achieving hopes and dreams. It's a good time to revitalize your journaling practice, as well. And there's a bonus! You may well find that by implementing a few new tweaks in journaling, you simultaneously access the energy to accomplish other goals that have eluded you. 1. Buy new supplies. There's something satisfying about starting with a clean slate and an organized desk. A new notebook, a brighter lamp, a set of tempting pens – any of these can recharge your thrill in journaling. It's not much of a stretch to apply the same tactic to other goals: a new blender will make your diet much more bearable; a new outfit will make going to work a more cheerful experience; a new pair of sneakers will inspire jogging. 2. Plan your schedule. As something that you do primarily for yourself alone, journaling can easily take second place to other life obligations. Inject your practice with renewed dedication by carefully planning out in advance when you will journal. **End Summary** Topics: writing therapy]]> journaling]]> journal writing]]> journal therapy]]> p]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> By Mari L. McCarthy - Journal / Writing Therapist. Journaling is the ultimate self-help tool. Please share discoveries at my blog- http://www.createwritenow.com/journal-writing-blog/. If you would like to know more about the therapeutic aspects of journal writing, please feel free to contact me ( http://www.createwritenow.com/contact-mari-l-mccarthy/ ). Write On!

Keep a Gratitude Journal and Get Happy

Mon, 13 Dec 2010 15:13:50 -0500

Despite the advice that comes to us from every direction these days to keep a positive attitude, actually doing that all the time or even most of the time is far more easily said than done. Let's face it: life is stressful, and no matter how determined you are in the morning to make the very best of everything, by evening you often feel battered and defeated. Or the optimistic plans you conceived last night melt like candle wax under glaring morning light. Whatever your world, it's likely you have a tough time of it if you wish to maintain a cheerful and positive outlook. There is, however, a cost-free way to boost your optimism and re-vision your approach to all you encounter. Improving your outlook on the plus side is only the beginning of this miraculous practice. Yes, folks, all it takes is your journal. It can be the dog-eared moleskin you've had for ages or a new notebook dedicated to this purpose. You can discover the wonders of journaling for the first time when you commence this activity; or you can incorporate the new focus into your regular journaling activities. So here's the routine: 1. **End Summary** Topics: writing therapy]]> journaling]]> journal writing]]> journal therapy]]> p]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> By Mari L. McCarthy - Journal / Writing Therapist. Journaling is the ultimate self-help tool. Please share discoveries at my blog- http://www.createwritenow.com/journal-writing-blog/. Journaling supplies make great gifts, inspiring self-knowledge and confidence. Please visit my website at http://createwritenow.com/. Write On!

Use Journaling to Face Your Financial Fears

Tue, 30 Nov 2010 12:53:35 -0500

A clearly practical application of journaling is to use it as a way to get a grip on your financial worries. Our current economy is challenging, to say the least, and many of us are obsessed with financial concerns. Physical side effects from money stress - like sleeplessness or headaches, or worse - can become intolerable. While we're more aware today about what's going on all over the world, we also feel increasingly helpless. There's so much over which we have no control. We can't affect interest rates; we can't snap our fingers and find work. We can, though, keep that well-worn notebook close at hand, and use it every day for a while to explore our attitude towards money. By identifying the roots of fears, you can begin to work with them. By working with your fears, you can begin to conquer and move past them. You may think it's obvious why you worry about money: you never have enough! But really taking the time to examine closely why it's a problem can yield rich rewards. Your relationship with the green stuff may be both more complex and more workable a situation than you think. **End Summary** Topics: personal journaling]]> money]]> personal finances]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> By Mari L. McCarthy - Journal / Writing Therapist. You can use journaling for a thousand different purposes. I discuss many of them in my blog at http://www.createwritenow.com/journal-writing-blog/. My most recent book is titled Peace of Mind and Body and you can see more about it here: http://www.createwritenow.com/peace-of-mind-and-body---27-days-of-journaling-to-health--happiness/. Write On!

Holiday Journal Therapy

Fri, 12 Nov 2010 12:18:10 -0500

The holiday season is a time of great celebration, but if you have recently lost someone who was very close to you, the holidays can be painful and hard to endure. You are grieving, yet everyone expects you to join in the good times. Similarly, if you lost a loved one at a holiday time in a previous year, the season can be a difficult challenge for you ever thereafter. If this describes you, remember first that it is perfectly okay for you to have conflicting feelings and ups and downs. Trying to suppress or mask your grief doesn't help, as it will surface eventually. Fully experiencing your feelings is the best way to work through them. A safe and effective way to work through your grief and find a way to enjoy the celebrations again is by using your journal. Gather mementos from past holidays you shared with your loved one. Photos and letters, recipes or newspaper clippings, favorite ornaments, jewelry, or knick-knacks. If they'll fit, tape or glue one or two of these into your journal. Your journal is You, and your loved one is a part of You. **End Summary** Topics: writing therapy]]> journaling]]> journal writing]]> grieving]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> By Mari L. McCarthy - Journal / Writing Therapist. You can find additional thoughts about journaling and grieving at http://www.createwritenow.com/journal-writing-blog/bid/13825/Journal-Therapy-Grief-Journal-Exercise-1. Are you looking for more information on journaling, especially journaling for therapy? Please visit http://www.CreateWriteNow.com. My trademarked program, Journaling for the Health of It! â¢, helps my clients live healthier and happier lives.

Embrace the Season with Nature Journaling

Tue, 26 Oct 2010 13:40:50 -0400

Refresh your Journaling Practice Few sights are more inspiring than rows of trees bursting into flame with the red and gold leaves of fall. Unless it's the fist pink blossoms of spring. No matter what the season, it's likely you'll encounter a few days that provide an ideal opportunity to take advantage of the natural beauty around you to explore your journaling self with refreshed spirit. Pick a day when the weather seems to be begging you to go for a long walk. In the autumn, you want a day that's cool and breezy yet with plentiful sunshine. In winter, you might need your heavy coat, and don't forget warm socks! Bring your journal, a pen, and a blanket, and set out on a nature journaling adventure. Prepare to Journal: Move, Listen, Write 1. Follow your instincts and walk to a quiet, peaceful place where you can write without too many distractions. You can stay as close as the neighborhood park around the corner or go as far as a day hike on mountain trails. Go wherever you are likely to feel positive and inspired. 2. **End Summary** Topics: writing therapy]]> journaling]]> journal writing]]> journal therapy]]> p]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> By Mari L. McCarthy - Journal / Writing Therapist. Does the holiday season stress you out? Journal your way to a stress-free holiday, with Mari's help. Mari's trademarked program, Journaling for the Health of It! â¢, helps her clients live healthier and happier lives. Please visit the Journaling for the Health of It blog .

How to Journal Through Sickness to Health

Fri, 15 Oct 2010 12:03:51 -0400

When you're not feeling well, when you're sick or have recurring aches and pains, probably the last thing you think of is journal writing. But the fact is that journaling for the health of it can be an excellent starting point for a voyage of discovery about what your body is trying to tell you. Studies have shown that people who write about their traumatic experiences feel better overall and visit doctors less frequently. It has even been demonstrated that journal writing can improve the health of asthmatics, and people with rheumatoid arthritis and other conditions. One woman, who was diagnosed with chronic Epstein-Barr Virus, relates, "I started a Healing Journal, a place where I could record all my thoughts and feelings about what I was experiencing … I could fall apart, scream and yell or get irrationally angry and my healing journal hung on my every word. At first I mostly complained in the journal, but over time I found I wrote more about how to cope, dreamed about what I'd do when I got well, and I started to brainstorm on how to get help and improve my health. **End Summary** Topics: journaling]]> journaling tips]]> writing therapy]]> journaling ideas]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> By Mari L. McCarthy - Journal / Writing Therapist. Are you looking for more information on the therapeutic aspects of journaling? Please visit http://www.CreateWriteNow.com. My trademarked program, Journaling for the Health of It! â¢, helps my clients live healthier and happier lives. Please read about my own journaling journey ( http://createwritenow.com/about-mari-l-mccarthy/ ), first prompted by a physical ailment and now the backbone of my life.

Journaling on the Silver Screen

Mon, 27 Sep 2010 15:09:25 -0400

Journaling, by nature, is a solitary exercise. And since we are often concerned with our deepest secret selves in our journals, we rarely share these writings with others. So it's a special treat when we're allowed a peek inside someone else's journal. The cinema is one place where we can occasionally enjoy the journaling lives of others. Here are a few examples of journal-based films. 1000 Journals A decade ago, a San Francisco artist decided to conduct a collaborative artwork by releasing 1000 blank journals into the world. He gave a few to friends and acquaintances and then, as word spread, people began contacting him, wanting to take part. He sent journals all over the world. Subsequently, filmmaker Andrea Kreuzhage documented a search for the journals, discovering along the way a world of shared creativity and expression from people around the globe. Bridget Jones' Diary Based on a popular novel by Helen Fielding, this film chronicles a year in the life of a woman in her early thirties. **End Summary** Topics: writing journals]]> journaling]]> journaling tips]]> journal writing]]> ]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> By Mari L. McCarthy - Journal / Writing Therapist. Are you looking for more information on the many aspects of journaling? Please visit http://www.CreateWriteNow.com. My trademarked program, Journaling for the Health of It! â¢, helps my clients live healthier and happier lives. I recently published an interactive ebook, 53 Weekly Writing Retreats: How to Use Your Journal to Get Healthy Now; and a collection of prompts in Mari's Most Musefull Journaling Tips.